


First Hand

by zephyras13



Series: Exiles [4]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, Choices, Depression, Drabble Collection, Gen, Powerlessness, Present Tense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-12
Updated: 2012-02-12
Packaged: 2017-10-31 00:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/338124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zephyras13/pseuds/zephyras13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which patience is for other people and first moves are made.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Hand

It's Monday morning and Rukia can't deal with another weekend like that, she just can't. She calls in sick to work and texts Ishida to meet her for lunch at a cafe near his university.

"Are you almost done?" she asks him the second he sits down across from her at the downtown Tokyo plein-air cafe.

For a second, he looks confused, but then the look melts off his face, replaced by something that looks like exasperation.

"It's only been a week, Kuchiki-san," he says carefully. "Urahara-san said it should be a month for each of us. Besides, I thought we were waiting until Kurosaki had regained more of his powers."

They were, that's what they had decided, but it's been eight months since they've started this, everyone with spiritual power they know carrying around the sword. Ishida is second to last in line, then it's her turn, and then they were going to hand it off to the Vizards, wherever they've run off to now, but Rukia cannot stand to see Ichigo waste away anymore.

"I do not think he can wait an-" she says with a shaky breath, but doesn't finish the sentence because she knows Ichigo would _kill_ her if he found out she was talking to Ishida about this.

Ishida drops his eyes down to the table and Rukia knows she made the right decision. Even though it was far shorter than two and a half years, both she and Ishida know the pain of being powerless in a world that is defined by power. Out of all their friends, they come the closest to understanding what Ichigo is going through. The only difference is that Ishida doesn't live with Ichigo and he can't see the misery slowly eating away at him a little more every day, no matter how hard he tries to hide it.

"Give me another week and a half," Ishida says finally, glancing down at his bag where the sword is no doubt hidden. "I can probably put enough power into it by then and then I'll hand it off to you." He pauses and looks up at her seriously. "Does Urahara-san know you're going ahead of schedule?"

Rukia shakes her head. "I doubt it. Ichigo's father, on the other hand...I am pretty sure he knows. He actually encouraged me to speed the process up. I guess even he can see that Ichigo is-"

The waitress interrupts them then and they put their conversation on hold to order food and drinks.

"Kuchiki-san?" Ishida says worriedly after they're alone again. "Is Kurosaki _alright_?"

 _"No,"_ Rukia thinks, remembering the defeated slump of Ichigo's shoulders, the lethargy that seemed to wrap itself around him like a mantle, and the bursts of sudden anger at the entire world that had even _Kon_ concerned. _"He's really not."_

She cannot shake him out of this depression, like she's been able to do so many times in the past. There is nothing she can say to make it better, to give him purpose again. Rukia knows this and has known it from the second they found out Ichigo would lose his powers. But she's not willing to admit that to anyone, even Ichigo himself, so Rukia digs her fingers into her palms and forces herself to remain tall.

"He will be," she says, with a determined nod. "I know we said we would wait until more of his powers return, but it is taking too long. Another couple weeks and I am doing it."

Ishida sighs, but he doesn't look particularly inclined to argue. "Alright," he says seriously. "I'm with you."

Rukia returns to Karakura not exactly in what she'd normally classify as a good mood, but with something like hope burning in her chest.

She does not notice the camouflaged, non-reiatsu emitting Soul Society camera waiting for her in front of her apartment door that slinks inside after her.

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, yeah, I said it'd be Ichigo next, but I lied, sorry! In fact it might be a while until Ichigo, because he just refuses to be written. Jerk.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!


End file.
